Interviews

DJ’s

Eric Picl – Host of On Random (Fridays 6pm to 8pm CST)

Hello, I’m Eric. A real man…a thinking man, a complicated man. Would I go so far as to say a great man?…yes, yes I would. I knew from an early age that I was something special, my mother told me so. To this day I hear almost on a daily basis how proud I make people just for being me! Often times I overhear people say “look at him shopping on his own” or “bless his heart” or “wow! Look at you…driving a car with no help”. Even after all this time Stacey will pet my head and tell me what a good boy I am. I also invented chairs…so yeah, you’re welcome.

Seriously though, I’ve been in radio since 8th grade, was actually signed up and working at Argo High Schools WARG 88.9 the summer before freshman year even started…ahh, if only I cared about grades as much. After H.S. I attended the then called “Illinois Center for Broadcasting” where I helped launch their online/streaming station while a student. After graduation, I became an employee…I helped rebrand the on-air station, 104.1 The Edge and introduced the school to this new crazy thing called digital audio editing which I taught for about a year. During the same time, I worked as a rock jock at stations like Rebel Radio, Will Rock and some other dump I can’t remember. After a couple years in Orlando FL I decided to move back to the midwest and start my own voice over the business (yup, I’m a voice in commercials) and podcast, and vowed to never work for “the man” in radio ever again…then Alt 360 radio came along. I must say, its been refreshing to work for a program director who hasn’t sold his soul to the devil and doesn’t have a coke problem….. Not that my other PDs did…just saying.

WHO would you invite to dinner if you could only have 3 other people at the table (living or in the past), and why?:

Anthony Bourdain (my first question to him is…dude, the fuck?) Neil deGrasse Tyson…so many questions, and George W. Bush. That dude was in the most no-win situation of a presidency from the start, admit it..talking to that guy would be fascinating.

WHAT is your most memorable concert(s)?:

So many, but I’ll go with Metallica. Winnebago County Fairgrounds just outside of Rockford IL. July 1998. Now that was a place that was NOT set up to handle that many people at once. Was an epic disaster in planning, we somehow got lucky and didn’t miss a thing..others were still trying to get in halfway through Metallica’s set. Was crazy to watch.

WHERE is your favorite place to travel, and/or would like to travel?:

I don’t travel much, fear of flying. But I wouldn’t mind driving back to Orlando to catch up with some radio friends and check out an Orlando City soccer match.

WHEN you’re not working you are…?:

Probably watching a soccer match of some kind or upgrading the Alt360 Radio North studio. I do love playing with wires.

WHY was (fill in the blank) __________ your most proudest moment?:

Huh, that’s a weird one. As someone who lacks most human emotions…I really don’t know. I skipped graduation ceremonies for H.S., Broadcasting School, Motorcycle Mechanics (oh yeah, I also wrench on bikes)… I’ve put awards in closets or just tossed them…I guess I just haven’t had that moment yet? I mean, I’m pretty awesome all around so maybe its just hard to point out one moment. Yeah, that’s probably it. I’ll go with that.

Stacey West used to play radio with her best friend Kelly and a hand-held tape recorder. They would play ‘Interviewer on the Street”, much like Kermit The Frog on Sesame Street. After meeting Eric and a few trips back to WARG-FM, sitting in while he did a show, his enthusiasm became contagious and before she knew it she was joining in and soon thereafter, they were podcasting.

WHO would you invite to dinner if you could only have 3 other people at the table (living or in the past), and why?:
Jon Fratelli (somebody who writes lyrics like he does has got to be great to talk to), Christopher Moore (my FAV author and another crazy amazing wordsmith!), and Anthony Bourdain (because I want him to know the world loved him and misses him and it would be great to talk about food and travel with him)

WHAT is your most memorable concert(s)?:
Avenged Sevenfold at Tinley Park (with Stone Sour and Disturbed) and The Fratellis at the Metro (I’ve waited for them to come to the States and play somewhere nearby, like, forever!)

WHERE is your favorite place to travel, and/or would like to travel?:
If there was a way to drive across the Atlantic Ocean, I would love to travel to England and Ireland, and Italy. I want to visit our Twitter/podcasting friends in Manchester and go to a Manchester City football match, and I want to go to Ireland to see how beautiful it is and drink Guinness and Irish Whiskey, and I want to go to Italy and eat wonderful real pasta and drink wine.

WHEN you’re not working you are…?:
When Eric and I are off, we are mostly homebodies. Probably boring to some, but it’s our thing. We love canceled plans. I’m a collector of Converse Chuck Taylors and I often buy them while we are drinking Vodka drinks. When I do venture out, I love going to Lake Michigan and searching for “sea” glass. I enjoy a trip to Chicago for food and soccer anytime.

Bill’s love for music started at an early age. His 2 teenage brothers loved the rock of the late 60’s and 70’s and his older sister had shown him the pop of the late 70’s and early 80’s. Bill was the kid who would make his own radio shows by taping songs from the radio and talking in between them. His amateur experience started during his High School years at the school’s station WARG. He has been off the air until finally resurfacing in March of 2018 to host the 80’s and 90’s showcase Road Rage.

WHO would you invite to dinner if you could only have 3 other people at the table (living or in the past), and why?:
Michael Jordan – to talk about his love and passion for basketball and his drive to succeed. And Thank him for making my childhood awesome. Quentin Tarantino – try to get inside his dark twisted mind and learn about his artistic processes. (The same could be said for Trent Reznor)
Jimmy Fallon – I could have chosen Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Dana Carvey, Jerry Seinfeld, or Bill Cosby in this slot because I feel they are all comedic geniuses and beyond funny, they are icons. However, I think Jimmy could entertain me as well as make me laugh. His impressions and his whole personality are fantastic traits.

WHAT is your most memorable concert(s)?:
Nine Inch Nails – Grand Rapids Michigan – We got to our seats early and two older people we there and asked if we’d like to exchange tickets to their standing room only floor seats, we were so close and NIN did an amazingly visual show that just blew me away! Never underestimate getting to a concert early!
Dave Matthews Band 8/7/2004 had one of the best times of my life! There’s nothing like seeing DMB live outside in the summer. This was a day after Rick James died, and DMB covered Super Freak. This was one of the greatest 3 minutes of my life.

WHERE is your favorite place to travel, and/or would like to travel?:

I love the water. I love the beaches on the Coast of the Gulf of Mexico the most. But I’ve not done much else. However, my bucket list is huge. Starting with the Grand Canyon then Pacific North West. International Travel, I want the spend a month in London, and see as much of the UK as possible. I want to visit Italy and Spain basically for the cuisine.

WHEN you’re not working you are…?:
I have a lot of free time. But I’m pretty open to a lot of things. I love sports. Football and baseball top my list and then basketball. I watch a lot, but I no longer play anything. I’m also into video games of various types. Music, movies, and tv control most of my downtime. I religiously read just a few select authors, Nick Hornby, Mitch Albom, David Sedaris, and Augustus Burroughs. But I have read a lot of other awesome work.

WHY was (fill in the blank) __________ your most proudest moment?:
This is my proudest moment. Right now. The moment I’m in. I’ve battled mental health issues and physical health issues for roughly the last 15 years and recently I’ve been able to work towards a better life for myself by losing a lot of weight and focusing on a healthier lifestyle.

Todd Michaels has been in the radio biz since he was 13 years old. Starting at his high school radio station, WARG-FM 88.9, then continuing on to Columbia College Chicago to earn a B.A. in Broadcast Communications. After working at several FM stations that all got bought out in Chicago, Todd almost gave up on his radio endeavors until he was asked to join the Fusion Radio family which now is the Nexus Radio Network. He has been on Nexus Dance since 2011, and in 2014 launched Alt360 Radio (formally Fusion Alternative). Todd was born and resides in Chicago, and by day he works in the education field.”

Who would you invite to dinner if you could only have 3 other people at the table (living or in the past), and why?:

I’ve been to London a half dozen times and every time I fall more in love with the city. The culture, history, and people always are fascinating to me. If the weather was a little bit sunnier I would live there…but alas global warming is taking its sweet ass time! I’ve never been to Asia. I’d prefer to go with those who know the culture before I ever consider going solo.

My proudest moment was earning my Masters in Education at Loyola University. Even though I was back in the radio field, I’ve always wanted to be in education. So being able to work in both in my life right now has really been rewarding.

Gabe LeBlanc – Host of The Top 20 of the Week (Saturday & Sunday, 12pm CST)

Gabe LeBlanc’s passion for radio has been alive ever since his early days, having been raised on 80’s Top 40 radio. It only took a portable Smurf’s radio and a wireless FM mic to know that his voice was meant to be on-the-air. He followed that dream throughout childhood recording radio shows with friends and family onto cassette tapes, eventually making his way to Brown College where he had a short stint with their radio broadcasting program. His love of music was channeled into monthly DJ gigs at Berlin Nightclub in Chicago and his weekly radio show GLORadio, which was given its first on-air exposure with help from Alt360Radio. With the show’s recent move to the parent radio network Nexus, Gabe was also asked to stay on at Alt360Radio by hosting the newly commissioned Top 20 Of The Week countdown show. Gabe’s a Minnesota boy at heart but has made his home in Chicago.

Who would you invite to dinner if you could only have 3 other people at the table (living or in the past), and why?:

Kylie Minogue at UIC Pavillion in 2009; it was the first time I had ever had the chance to see her live after being such a massive fan for years. Sharing the moment with my super fan brother made it such an amazing event. a-ha at The Riviera in 2010; that was another amazing concert I got to share with my brother as we had both bonded over our love of their album “Minor Earth Major Sky.” We were in tears by the end of that concert.

Where is your favorite place to travel, and/or would like to travel?:

I’ve been fortunate enough to have traveled the world with my wonderful husband. I’d still love to make a stop in South Korea one day and vinyl shop till I drop.

I’d have to say it was moving to Chicago. For the most part, I did it on a wing and a prayer not knowing anyone. I was lucky enough to have a job that would let me transfer locations and I had an awesome roommate that helped me get my feet wet.